Ponty golf picks up top awards
Golf volunteers and professionals in Pontypridd and the Rhondda were recognised as they picked up four out of six prizes at the Golf Union of Wales Awards in a ceremony at Celtic Manor.
Pontypridd junior organiser Ian Pickering was the Volunteer of the Year, Rhondda's David Pocock the PGA Club Professional of the Year, while Pontypridd born pair Rhys Pugh and Jamie Donaldson were the Welsh Amateur of the Year and Welsh Tour Pro of the Year respectively, in the awards ceremony at Celtic Manor sponsored by Future Financials.
Carmarthen were the Club of the Year, while North Wales's Amy Boulden shared the Welsh amateur award with Pugh, just to show there is good golf work going on outside the Rhondda, Cynon, Taff area.
Pocock has only been in the job 18 months but already he has made a massive impact on golf in the area, providing coaching at 30 schools and coaching more than 100 juniors at Rhondda GC.
“It is a lovely achievement, really nice, because we have done a lot with the kids this year and it is nice to see them developing. Four out of the six awards today having links to Rhondda Cynon Taff shows how strong golf is in the Welsh valleys – probably the strongest it has ever been,” said Pocock.
“The work Golf Development Wales do makes it very, very easy. They are there for advice, funding and support, Zoe Thacker has been brilliant for our golf club.
“We have got the biggest junior academy in Wales now and let us see if we can do it in the UK, there is no reason why we cannot do that.
“There is a lot of negativity about the valleys and it goes to show that the kids can achieve their dreams.
“Rhys Pugh has become a role model for these kids, as many of them have heard of him as Tiger Woods, so it is phenomenal.”
Pugh is now studying on a golf scholarship in America, but was delighted to receive the award on his return to Wales. “It is a great honour to receive this recognition, it has been a good year with the highlight being the Walker Cup,” he said.
“It was great to play in and do well. I just kept playing and was confident I could do well. I am enjoying the new challenge in America, it is different golf, hopefully going on to turn professional after getting my degree in four years.”
Donaldson ended the season in the top 40 in Europe and has set his sights on challenging for a Ryder Cup place next year.
“It was a good year, just a few shots here and there away from being a very good year,” said Donaldson.
“It is always nice to receive an award like this and certainly I had a lot of good times playing for Wales as an amateur coming up through the ranks.
“Next year the target is to improve again and I would love to get into the Ryder Cup team. I now that will be difficult as I am outside the world's top 50, but it is possible and I will certainly do my best to try and make it happen.”
Pickering was delighted to receive recognition on behalf of the team at Pontypridd golf club who have transformed the fortunes of the junior section.
“It is a great honour to get an award like this and I was delighted to collect it on behalf of the team of people at Pontypridd,” said Pickering, who is also heavily involved with Glamorgan County with both boys and girls.
“You do not do this sort of thing for recognition, to be honest just seeing the faces of the kids is all the reward you need.
“We have come a long way in a short time and a lot of people have put in the effort to get us there, but it is really nice to come to an awards dinner like this and be recognised by the Golf Union of Wales.”
Carmarthen earned the Club of the Year award for a remarkable turnaround in their fortunes. In the last three years they have increased membership by more than 100 as they have taken advantage of Golf Union of Wales and Ryder Cup Wales schemes, spending money in the right areas.
“It is absolutely fantastic for a small club like Carmarthen to be recognised in this way on the national stage,” said captain Phil Lewis.
“We had to change the way we were thinking as a club to fit in with the modern way of life, so to get a prize for it from the Golf Union of Wales is the icing on top of the cake without any shadow of doubt.”